Construction component with a longitudinally changing cross-section shape

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns a construction component ( 1 ) profiled using roller profiling, with a profile cross-section changing in the longitudinal extent, wherein the profiled construction component includes a flange ( 4 ). The construction component having this shape is rigid and particularly easy to integrate into the vehicle body shell.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention concerns a construction component with a longitudinally changing cross-section shape according to the precharacterizing portion of patent claim 1.

2. Related Art of the Invention

It is well known to have construction components with longitudinally extending profiles, produced by bending a ribbon or strip of supplied raw material by roller profiling to form a profile having a continuous even cross-section, in particular a U-shaped profile cross-section. These construction components have been found to be unsuitable for complex vehicle-reinforcing structures.

DE 100 11 755 A1 teaches a construction component having a profile having a changing longitudinal cross-section, in particular a U-shaped profile cross-section. This construction component is produced in a roller bending device. The construction component includes a base and opposing sidewalls, wherein, beginning with a particular width of the construction component base, this profile cross-section exhibits at least one widening and at least one narrowing. Even these construction components have been found not to be suitable for certain complex vehicle structures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Beginning with the above state of the art, the present invention is concerned with the task of providing a construction component having a rigid shape and particularly suitable for integrating into a vehicle body shell.

This task is inventively solved in accordance with the totality of the characteristics of patent claim 1. Advantageous further developments are the subject matter of the dependent claims.

The invention concerns a construction component profiled using roller profiling, with a profile cross-sectional shape that changes longitudinally, wherein the profiled construction component includes a flange.

One important advantage of the inventive construction component or structural member is its inherent rigidity and stability, and its easy integration in a vehicle body shell. The construction component, which is shaped using roller profiling, exhibits very good structural characteristics both in the highly stressed edge area of the profile cross-section as well in the roller profiled flange. These structural features have a positive influence on the ability of the construction component to resist stress, in particular cyclic stresses.

The presence of a flange in such a construction component makes possible an improved integration of the construction component by joining, in particular by laser welding, and particularly when welding a floor subassembly to a main chassis beam. It is also possible to bind, e.g., solder, the flange of the construction component to other construction components using the flange, in order to reinforce the edge of the flange, or to reinforce or stiffen the construction component, or to produce flat edge surfaces thereupon, for example in order to do fitting, crimping or hemming, fastening with threaded fasteners, riveting or adhering.

The formation of a flange in addition has the benefit that, by the greater contact surface, the most diverse joining techniques or, as the case may be, processes can in part be employed for the first time. This makes possible a multi-facetted employment of such construction components in the most diverse positions of the vehicle chassis structure. In addition, the inherent stability of the joined assembly is increased, which positively influences the overall stability of the chassis structure and the driving characteristics.

A further essential advantage of the inventive construction component is its enhanced utility as a structural and safety component in the vehicle body shell. When using roller profiling the construction component can be comprised of high and higher strength steels, preferably those with a tensile strength of up to 1700 N/mm², which satisfy the safety requirements in motor vehicle construction. As a rule, in the case of structure and safety construction components, these are thin-walled sheet metal column structures, longitudinal and cross-sectional profiles such as for example side impact beams or supports, bumpers, column reinforcements, longitudinal and transverse chassis beams, floor boards, as well as roof frames. These roller profiled building components are characterized by a high accuracy of gauge and size and low manufacturing tolerances.

In a preferred embodiment of the inventive construction component the flange extends over the length of the construction component, in particular in the area of the change in the profile cross-section.

In particular construction components for vehicle body structures, for example support structures, must frequently be adapted in their profile cross-section to the existing assembly situation or restraints, in particular for conforming to the welding connection location, and thus the construction components cannot exhibit a constant profile cross-section in the longitudinal direction. With the inventive construction component carrier structures are produced such that these exhibit a flange over their length, wherein the profile cross-section changes in the longitudinal direction. An advantage of the inventive construction component with changing profile cross-section and flange in the longitudinal direction is comprised therein, that this construction component can be employed as A-, B-, C- and D-column structure adapted or conformed to the frame structure in the manner that, in the case of a side impact, beginning from the onset of the impact on the body structure, more energy can be efficiently absorbed by the chassis structure over the available deformation path. The occupants are therewith protected from a strongly deformed body structure.

In a further advantageous embodiment the construction component is a high strength steel and/or deep draw steel and/or a titanium alloy and/or a nickel alloy and/or lightweight steel and/or a metal-containing composite material.

One advantage of the inventive construction component with flange of high and/or very high strength steel is a reduction in weight, which is made possible by the increased stiffness or inherent stability of the structural component. Besides reducing weight, these materials have the advantage that less construction space is required and the increasing safety requirements in motor vehicle construction can be satisfied in the area of structure and safety components.

As materials that can be profiled using roller profiling and which are very good for construction components, these include in particular high stiffness steels (so called lightweight steels), preferably from the group of the multi-phase steels, such as for example dual phase steels (DP-steels), complex phase steels (CP-steels), martensitic phase steels (MS-W-steels) or TRIP-steels (Transformation Induced Plasticity). These steels exhibit particularly advantageous stiffness or stability characteristics, which translates into a desirable resistance to deformation. A very high stiffness of these steels with high final stability is particularly advantageous for crash behavior. Therewith the inventive construction component imparts an increase in the stability or stiffness in desired construction component areas, without requiring an expensive thermal treatment.

Alternatively or additionally thereto, in accordance with the invention, deep drawn steels can be used in structural reinforcing and safety construction components, since in addition to exhibiting a low carbon content they also are characterized by a fine grain, substantially untextured microstructure and a tensile boundary without a yield region. A homogenous microstructure in the inventive construction component has the advantage that the stability or stiffness of the base, the sidewalls and the flange are comparable.

Although Ti-alloys have a higher modulus of elasticity then steels, they can be processed by the shaping technique using roller profiling into a rigid shaped construction component. The higher modulus of elasticity has a positive influence on the stiffness of the construction component produced by mechanical shaping.

It is advantageous to employ metal-containing composite materials for structural and safety construction components. The advantage of these materials is comprised therein, that they can be employed “mass tailored”. Reinforcements are thus necessary only in the desired high-load construction component areas, such as for example at the joining locations, in particular in the area of the flange.

In a further advantageous embodiment the flange of the construction component has a constant width in the direction of its longitudinal extension.

The construction component designed in this way ensures a constant area moment and is accordingly preferably integrated in the vehicle as transverse or longitudinal chassis beam or, for example, as door sill or rocker rail.

A further advantage of this construction component in which the flange exhibits a constant width is the simple and economical manufacturing thereof. The constant width of the flange makes it possible that a constant joint seam with a width remaining constant along the joint surface can be introduced onto the construction component. Further, the constant width of the flange makes possible a simplified further processing or finishing of the construction component. This makes the flange ideal for an adhesion process, which can be carried out in simplified automatic manner and/or manually due to the inventive design of the flange.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention the flange of the construction components exhibits a reduced width in the area of its widened profile cross-section.

Advantageous in the inventive construction component with a flange which exhibits a variable width in the direction of its longitudinal extension, in particular a reduced width in the area of the widened construction component cross-section, is comprised therein, that in the case of this design a trimming of the starting geometry, which may in certain cases be necessary either before or after the roller shaping process, can be dispensed with. In the case of trimming, as a rule the excess starting material is removed from the starting geometry, for example edge strips are removed, so that the starting geometry prior to roller processing exhibits the desired measurements. Therewith the process step of trimming can be dispensed with in the manufacturing of the construction component and thereby the manufacturing time and costs for the construction component are reduced.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention the flange of the construction component exhibits a greater width in the area of the widened profile cross-section.

This design of the inventive construction component is particularly useful in the automobile body, where high demands or requirements are made with regard to stiffness. The inventive construction component accordingly exhibits a wider flange in those construction component areas in which a greater moment stiffness is to be built in. Examples thereof are bumpers or roof framework elements.

The inventive construction component can also be employed as an enclosure column, such as for example a C- or D-column. By the flange, which has a greater width in the area of the widened profile cross-section, the enclosure column can be bonded particularly well to the inside surface of the sidewall. When using a flanging process the wider flange stiffens or reinforces the edge of the construction component, so that this construction component area can accommodate an introduced torsional or bending moment with reduced deformation, eliminating the necessity for supplemental separate reinforcing elements.

In a further preferred embodiment at least one crimp is introduced into the construction component, which is introduced from the side into the sidewalls, transverse to and/or along the longitudinal extension of the construction component.

One advantage of the inventive construction component with crimping (geometric formed stiffening), which are selectively placed in the desired construction component areas, is comprised therein, that a buckling of the sidewalls of the construction component occurs only after a higher load is placed on the construction component, since the crimping or creasing or beading introduce a higher stiffness into the construction component.

In a further advantageous embodiment at least one opening is provided in the construction component, which in its shape and size is designed or dimensioned such that the electrode of a welding rod can be applied through this opening.

The construction component is so dimensioned, that an opening can be introduced, through which the possibility is provided, that an electrode of a welding rod is passed therethrough. Therewith it conceivable that the electrode can be passed through to an inside surface of an A-, B-, C- or D-column structure of a window frame, so that, for example, two rows of welding points lying in different planes can be applied to the outside surface of the window frame, whereby other body parts can also be secured.

It is further advantageous that the inventive construction component provided as a reinforcing element, for example in the form of an closure or terminal column, for example C- or D-column, is connected with at least one side frame and/or a roof segment.

It is further advantageous to provide openings in the sidewalls, through which electrical cables can be passed.

In a further advantageous embodiment the construction component is produced using cold rolling or shaping.

This type of construction component exhibits, in comparison to construction components produced using conventional warm deforming, a higher dimensional trueness, whereby a calibration of the construction components to be carried out in the cold condition is no longer required. Further, construction components produced using warm shaping exhibit distortions or warping and poorer surface quality (scaling).

For example, beams of the A-, B-, C- or D-column structures in motor vehicle construction must be produced with high quality and with high dimensional accuracy in high numbers. The inventive construction component exhibits very good surface quality, high dimensional accuracy and an improved ability to be incorporated into the body shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

In the following the invention will be described in greater detail on the basis of an illustrative embodiment and FIG. 1. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention can be seen from the figure and its description.

Therein there is shown:

FIG. 1 a schematic representation of the inventive construction component.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows an illustrative embodiment of an inventive construction component 1. This shape is conventionally referred to as “hat” or “omega” profile. The construction component 1 is made of TRIP-steel, which is supplied as a starting material in the form of a roll. The starting material is profiled or shaped from a planar condition into the construction component 1 in a roller profiling device. The roller profiled construction component 1 exhibits a base 2 and opposing sidewalls 3 with flanges 4. These sidewalls 3 transition to the base 2 via a bowed or curved area 5. Further, the construction component 1 exhibits oppositely lying flanges 4 respectively radiating out from the sidewalls 3, which flanges are produced by roller profiling. The sidewalls 3 transition via flange curves 6 into the flanges 4. The flanges 4 end with edges 7. The sidewalls 3 are so dimensioned, that openings can be introduced which make possible the passage through of an electrode of a welding rod or electrical cables. In addition, the sidewalls 3 exhibit crimping or creases, not shown, which are arranged transverse to the longitudinal direction of the construction component and which increase the stiffness of the construction component.

The width of the base of the construction component changes in the longitudinal extent of the construction component 1 and exhibits a widening 9 and a narrowing 8. Therein the sidewalls 3 are characterized by a constant height and the flanges 4 are characterized by a constant width over the longitudinal extent of the construction component 1.

The inventive construction component brings about a supplemental reinforcement or stiffening of the body work structure, in particular in regard to bending and torsion moments. In particular, the flange of the construction component leads thereto that the construction component in the drawn direction is made with a stiffer moment, whereby the use of supplemental separate reinforcing construction component (in this drawn or preferred direction can be dispensed with.

The invention is not limited to the described construction component geometry. It is also conceivable that the height of the sidewalls varies over the longitudinal extent of the construction component. Further, there is possibility that the width of the flange is varied, so that the width of the flange is varied independent of the profile cross-section.

REFERENCE NUMBER LIST

-   1 construction component -   2 base -   3 sidewall -   4 flange -   5 curved area -   6 flange curve -   7 edge -   8 narrowing of the construction component base width -   9 widening of the construction component base width 

1. A construction component (1) profiled using roller profiling, with a profile cross-section changing in the longitudinal direction, wherein the profiled construction component (1) includes a flange (4).
 2. The construction component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flange (4) extends over the length of the construction component (1), in particular over the area of the change in the profile cross-section.
 3. A construction component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the construction component (1) is made of higher strength steel and/or of deep drawn steel and/or of a titanium alloy and/or of a nickel alloy and/or a light construction steel and/or a metal-containing composite material.
 4. A construction component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flange (4) of the construction component (1) has a constant width in the direction of its longitudinal extent.
 5. A construction component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flange (4) of the construction component (1) exhibits a reduced width in the area of the widened profile cross-section.
 6. A construction component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the flange (4) of the construction component (1) exhibits a greater width in the area of the widened profile cross-section.
 7. A construction component (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one opening is provided in the construction component (1), with a shape and size adapted to allow an electrode welding rod to be applied through the opening.
 8. A construction component (1) according to claim 1, wherein the construction component (1) is produced by cold forming. 